This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on July 23, 2018

IOI Corp Bhd’s runners will stand out from the crowd at The Edge Kuala Lumpur Rat Race this year, as the team is set to run the race in full business attire.

Aliza Mohamed, an executive secretary at the conglomerate, finds this concept refreshing, but the first-timer is anxious about the mental challenges she will face on her race to the finish line.

“Besides good weather, it would be nice to see all corporates enter this event for a good cause, especially with all the fun and health benefits that come along with participation,” she says.

Sustainable palm oil officer Nur Farahin Rashidi will draw on her experience in past races in leading the IOI Corp team to success.

“I did well in my first half-marathon in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, and I will get myself ready with sufficient training and carbo-load before the Rat Race,” she says.

Team member Brosnan Tan Wen Tien, meanwhile, is mixing things up with swimming and slow jogging on the treadmill in the lead-up to the big day.

“I know Padang Merbok is a challenging course, which is why I have committed to an hour-long workout every day,” Tan says, adding that the experience and joy of being able to participate in a race with his colleagues is what keeps him going.

When it comes to good works in Malaysia, Tan said he hopes to see more such events, which not only raise awareness but money as well for those in need while encouraging participants to play an active role.

Nur Farahin says charity knows no bounds, and caring for one another, especially for those in need, can go beyond ethnic, religious and generational differences in this multicultural kaleidoscope that is Malaysia.

“Taking part in this run for charity gives us all good exposure; the act of giving through participating in this event helps us to help those who are less fortunate,” she says.